Cost of Living Comparison Between Ningbo and Putrajaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Ningbo and Putrajaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Ningbo versus $785 in Putrajaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Ningbo versus $1,200 in Putrajaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,804 in Ningbo versus $1,614 in Putrajaya.

Living in Ningbo is roughly 7% more expensive than in Putrajaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ningbo 37% lower, Putrajaya 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ¥21.08

$3.49 MYR 14.25

-10.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.61 ¥166

$18.60 MYR 76.1

32.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 ¥27.83

$4.77 MYR 19.51

-13.63%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ¥20.68

$2.85 MYR 11.67

7.37%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ¥2.80

$0.79 MYR 3.25

-48.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.76

$0.40 MYR 1.65

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$3.52 MYR 14.38

-73.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.88

$4.55 MYR 18.63

-54.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥14.01

$1.67 MYR 6.85

23.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 ¥18.35

$0.84 MYR 3.45

222.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.24 MYR 5.07

-35.48%

Eggs

$1.36 ¥9.16

$1.88 MYR 7.68

-27.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.53 ¥139

$6.61 MYR 27.04

210.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 ¥32.89

$4.45 MYR 18.19

9.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 ¥81.5

$9.55 MYR 39.07

26.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.90

$3.12 MYR 12.78

-38.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.52

$1.33 MYR 5.42

6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ¥15.07

$3.12 MYR 12.77

-28.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.76

$1.57 MYR 6.43

-26.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$1.50 MYR 6.15

-55.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.31

$1.73 MYR 7.06

-54.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥4.00

$1.64 MYR 6.72

-64.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.09

$0.56 MYR 2.28

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 ¥36.32

$4.15 MYR 16.98

29.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 ¥56.4

$13.59 MYR 55.6

-38.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ¥7.73

$2.75 MYR 11.25

-58.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.78

$3.03 MYR 12.41

-32.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.69 MYR 2.81

-57.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 ¥114

$11.67 MYR 47.74

44.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 ¥11.18

$0.92 MYR 3.75

79.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$1.03 MYR 4.21

-67.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 ¥47.15

$5.76 MYR 23.57

21.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.00

$0.46 MYR 1.87

156.52%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.3K ¥144.0K

$35.7K MYR 146.2K

-40.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.7K ¥132.8K

$38.1K MYR 155.9K

-48.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$64.3 ¥435

$45.95 MYR 188

39.98%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.88 ¥107

$9.33 MYR 38.16

70.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.77 ¥45.78

$22.07 MYR 90.3

-69.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.69 ¥147

$37.18 MYR 152

-41.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.89 ¥87.1

$8.95 MYR 36.59

44.02%

Cinema Ticket

$8.44 ¥57.1

$5.03 MYR 20.56

67.79%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$597 ¥4,034

$184 MYR 753

224.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ¥101.7K

$6,826 MYR 27.9K

120.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.71 ¥289

$63.9 MYR 262

-33.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.77 ¥201

$18.68 MYR 76.4

59.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 ¥466

$73.8 MYR 302

-6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 ¥425

$39.55 MYR 162

58.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 ¥2,593

$343 MYR 1,403

11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,731

$238 MYR 975

7.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 ¥5,811

$619 MYR 2,532

38.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 ¥3,306

$377 MYR 1,543

29.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,649 ¥31.4K

$2,700 MYR 11.0K

72.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,583 ¥17.5K

$1,786 MYR 7,305

44.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 ¥8,055

$1,026 MYR 4,196

16.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.07

19.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ningbo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Putrajaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Ningbo and $343 in Putrajaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ningbo pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Ningbo vs $19.00 in Putrajaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $221 per month, with Putrajaya cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ningbo vs Putrajaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putrajaya wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Ningbo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Putrajaya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Ningbo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $384 in Ningbo versus $343 in Putrajaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $597 in Ningbo versus $184 in Putrajaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Ningbo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Putrajaya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ningbo and Putrajaya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Putrajaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Ningbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.